Arguments and Commitments
by jane0904
Summary: Mal/Freya 'verse. Serenity lands on Phoros and the crew meets Kaylee's family. And why won't Kaylee say yes to Simon? Final chapter uploaded. Thank you for reading.
1. Chapter 1

"Why the hell did I marry you?" Freya shouted over her shoulder as she stepped down into the galley.

"No idea," Mal called back, heading for the bridge. "Oh, yeah. 'Cause no-one else was stupid enough to ask you!"

Freya opened her mouth to retaliate, but instead strode to the counter, picked up a mug and hurled it across the room. Unfortunately it wasn't metal, but one of the few bits of china they had, and it shattered into fragments against the wall. For a long moment she just stared at the pieces, then crossed the dining area and started to pick up the shards.

"Mal getting to you again?" Zoe asked, not having moved from her seat.

"That man is such a _sha gua chun zi_, a _qiang bao hou zi de hun dan_ … as well as being a _ching-wah tsao duh liou_!"

"Freya?"

"What?"

"Why don't you say what you really think?"

Freya glared at her, then she smiled ruefully. "Sorry," she said. "It's just … sometimes …"

"I used to fight with Wash like that," Zoe admitted, sitting back in her chair. "Just throwing insults at each other until neither of us had any breath left. Then he'd storm off to the bridge and I'd break something."

"Very similar," Freya agreed, picking up another piece of mug. "What were you fighting about?"

"Nothing much." Serenity's first mate sighed. "Just fighting. When you're married, there's no real need for a reason."

"I've found that out." Freya sat back on her heels. "How can he do that?"

"Do what?"

"Wind me up so tightly that I bust?"

"Is that what you've done?"

"I don't know what I've done!" Her hand closed tightly over a piece of china, and suddenly she realised blood was seeping between her fingers. "_Tzao gao_," she breathed, lifting her arm. Red liquid dripped to the floor.

"Uh oh," Zoe said, out of her seat in a moment. "Better get that looked at." She grabbed a tea cloth and wrapped Freya's hand in it.

"It's fine."

"You're bleeding."

"It'll stop."

"Humour me."

-x-

"I gather all is not well in the Reynolds' household?" Hank asked, turning in his seat to look at Mal.

"Just fly. I want any comments, I'll ask." Mal threw himself down in the co-pilot's seat and glared out into the black.

"I used to fight with Risa like that," Hank said, returning his chair to its normal position and ignoring Mal's words. "And she was a terrible thing to see when we did." His face softened as it always did when he spoke of his wife, long since passed on.

"She'd throw things?"

"No. Worse."

"How can it be worse?"

"She'd just go quiet on me. Stand by the door and just look at me."

"How can that be worse?"

"You don't know. Freya obviously ain't never done that to you." Hank shivered. "When a woman looks at you like that, all silent, you think she could do anything. Pick up a carving knife and cut your heart from your chest, or just walk out the door and never come back. Although the outcome, I always figured, would be pretty much the same."

"Frey's not done that yet," Mal admitted.

"If'n she ever does, you do not want to let it lie. Even if it's you starts throwing stuff, her best knick-knacks even, you need to get her shouting again." He remembered times …

"Frey's never had that problem."

"Well, good." Hank gave a dry laugh. "And I sincerely hope you don't."

"Is it really that bad?"

Hank nodded. "So what were you fighting about that got you so riled up?"

Mal thought back. "Damned if I know," he confessed. "Kinda came out of thin air."

"They do sometimes."

"Why?" Mal asked, turning his chair to look straight at the pilot, his elbows on his knees. "I love Frey, and she loves me. How come we fight?"

"Mal, there ain't no real reason. Maybe it's proximity … cabin fever. We've been cooped up for a couple weeks now, with no real air or sunlight. Or maybe you left your socks on the table again."

"Me? Whoa, there, no. It wasn't me." Mal put his hands up in denial.

"You sure?"

"I'd know."

"Ah, well, that just goes to prove you ain't been married that long."

"But we've been together a while!" Mal maintained. "And I've had women on this boat longer, and Zoe …"

"You ain't 'had' Zoe, have you?" Hank asked quickly, sudden worry in his eyes.

"Not in the biblical sense, no," Mal assured him. "But what I mean is, I know women!"

Hank burst out laughing. "Mal, no man _ever_ really knows women!"

"I've had enough experience to –"

"To what? Figure out what she means when she says no?"

Mal looked at him. "If she says no she means no."

The pilot shook his head sadly. "Mal, Mal, Mal …"

"Look, I know what you're saying, and in most cases where women are concerned, I might agree with you. But Frey's different. She means what she says."

"I really wish I had your blinkers, Mal. And your rose-tinted glasses."

"I am not deluding myself."

"So you know why you were fighting."

"Well …" Mal paused.

"Mal, believe me. It is physically impossible for a man to understand a woman all the time. And if you want to take an old married man's advice … well, a once-married man's advice, apologise."

"I didn't do anything!"

"That don't make any difference. 'Sides, it can get you brownie points."

"What? How?"

"How you ever survived without me I'll never know," Hank muttered, then said louder, "If you did something she thinks was wrong, and you apologise, she'll forgive you. If you didn't do anything, and it's her fault, and you still apologise, she'll feel guilty and then she won't forgive herself."

"Why would I want –"

"Because then she'll say you have nothing to apologise for, you can be the big man, and then have great make-up sex."

Mal stared at him. "You think that's the point of fighting?"

"Can't hurt."

"Why am I talking to you about this?" Mal asked in disgust, standing up and looking down at Hank. "Why am I asking advice from a man who won't even kiss my first mate?"

"Ah, well, that's the thing about advice," Hank called as Mal strode off the bridge. "You don't have to take it!"

-x-

"Sit still," Simon said, trying to inject Freya's hand with a local anaesthetic, but she was fidgeting too much.

"I don't see that it needs stitches," she said, looking down at the slice in her palm.

"Congratulations."

"On what?"

"Getting your medical degree." Freya raised an eyebrow at him, but he concentrated on completing the injection. "Right. Now I can irrigate the wound and take a proper look." He turned to the counter and filled a large syringe with sterile water.

Freya looked at her right palm. The cut ran from under her middle finger towards the pad of her thumb, about two inches long, and she could see bone in one place amongst the blood. Maybe Simon was right after all. "So how many?"

"Stitches? Ten or so. I'll see."

"I don't like needles."

He looked at her over his shoulder. "Then you should be more careful. You could have damaged a nerve."

"I didn't do it on purpose!"

Simon brought the kidney bowl and syringe back to the medbed. "Anger and broken crockery do not mix. AND it makes your blood pump faster." He started to wash the wound out. "What if you'd cut your wrist? You could have bled to death."

"I think Mal might've taken exception to that if you'd let me," Freya said, watching his movements, so precise and economical.

"Oh, yes," Simon said dryly. "He might have thrown me out of the airlock. Whoop de doo."

Freya couldn't help it. She laughed. "Yeah, he does threaten that occasionally, doesn't he?"

"Once in a while." He lifted a probe from the tray next to him. "This might hurt."

He poked into the wound and Freya felt a stab go right up her arm. She hissed. "Yep, you were right. It did."

"Good."

"Since when did you become a sadist?"

"Since I needed to check there wasn't any nerve damage." He dropped the bloody probe back in the bowl and picked up the needle waiting in the forceps. "You might not want to look."

Freya looked up at Zoe. "See? See what that man made me do?"

Zoe smiled. "If I recall correctly, your husband wasn't even in the room at the time."

"But he made me mad!"

"Why?"

"What?"

"What were you arguing about?"

"I …" She stopped, her mouth open. "I have no idea," she finally said, very quietly.

"So he didn't do or say anything to make you angry at him?" Zoe crossed her arms.

"No. Not then. I mean, it just … started."

Zoe smiled. "Then I wouldn't worry. If the time comes that you don't fight, that you let feelings fester, grow rancid, then you need to talk to someone. But this was just normal."

"But we don't fight!"

"Welcome to marriage."

"Is this what it's going to be like?" Freya asked, not looking down at Simon pulled the skin together. "Fighting when we've got nothing better to do?"

"Sometimes," Zoe admitted. "But the make-up sex is great."

"What?" Freya's jaw dropped. "You think I'd pick a fight just to have sex?"

"No. You don't need to. Mal just has to look at you to want that." She laughed. "It can make life terribly interesting at times."

"When has it ever been a problem?" Freya demanded.

"Oh, honey," Zoe said, grinning widely. "Next time we're out on a job, just keep an eye on your husband. Unless he's actively being shot at, or likely to be shot at, and he sees you … well, it can be hard."

Freya giggled. "Really?"

"Can you two stop talking about sex?" Simon asked.

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

"Because I had to leave Kaylee to come and deal with this," he said, finishing the last stitch.

"In flagrante?" Freya suggested, and was rewarded by Simon's ears turning slightly pink.

"And very delicto," he agreed. "And I've just spent hours trying to calm her down before I finally get to meet her folks tomorrow."

"Hell, they'll be so busy looking at Bethany, they won't even notice you."

"Thanks." He pulled off his gloves with a snap. "Nearly done."

"Who, her or you?"

He glared at her and picked up a dressing pad. "You won't be holding a gun for a few days," he said, pressing it carefully over the stitches. "And tell me if it feels hot or painful."

"I know the routine, doc," Freya assured him, almost sorry for winding him up.

"Yes." Simon picked up the debris. "Sometimes I wonder if all of you do this just to keep me busy."

"What else would you do?" Zoe asked.

"I'd love to find out." He made shooing motions towards the door. "Go. Let me clean up. I have an almost-wife to get back to."

"Thanks, Simon," Freya said, sliding from the bed.

"And no sex with that hand," he called as she left the infirmary.

"You always say that," Freya said, picking at the corner of the sticky. "And I'm not Jayne."

"And that mental image is something I can do without!"

Freya smiled at Zoe as they walked up the stairs.

"Have you calmed down?" the dark woman asked. "Can I go back to my bunk now? Or are you going to break something else?"

"No. I intend to go to bed myself."

"Good idea. And talk to Mal. He's only a man – he doesn't understand these things."

Freya laughed. "Is that what you thought about Wash?"

"All the time."

"And Hank?"

"We weren't talking about him."

"I was." They got to the top landing. "Zoe, you're ready."

"No I'm not. Not by any means." But there was hesitation in her voice.

"I'm not suggesting you marry Hank. I wouldn't wish that on anyone." Freya smiled to take the sting from her words. "But at least you could go on a date with him."

"Maybe."

Freya looked at her friend as they passed through the galley towards the bunks. "You know, sometimes …" She clenched her fists then winced.

Zoe gazed at her, her impassive expression back in place. "Is that a good idea?"

Freya threw her hands in the air. "I give up!" She turned to her and Mal's bunk, pushing the hatch open. "Do what you like! I don't care! I despair of the pair of you!" She started down her ladder.

Zoe's lips twitched and she turned to her own room, then glanced towards the bridge.

-x-

It was awkward getting down the ladder, as she couldn't grip with her right hand, and had to hook her arm around the upright. As she descended, she realised Mal was already there.

"Frey …" he began, then saw the dressing on her palm. "What the _diyu_ happened?" he asked, crossing the room in one stride to stand next to her, taking her hand in his. "I leave you alone for ten minutes …"

"I cut myself," she said, gratified by the expression of concern on his face.

"Is it okay? Has Simon seen it?" He looked into her eyes.

"I've got stitches," she said unnecessarily. "And it hurts a bit."

He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly. "Does that hurt?"

"Well, no …"

"Good." He smiled a little. "I'm sorry, Frey."

"What for? You didn't do this. It was my own stupid fault."

"No, not that." He led her to the bunk, away from the ladder, and made her sit down, joining her. "For making you angry."

"Why?"

"I don't know, it just –"

"No, I mean why are you apologising?"

"I thought –"

"Mal, whatever we were arguing about, and I don't even remember, it doesn't mean anything." She reached up with her left hand and placed it on his cheek. "People fight, say things they don't mean. It doesn't signify a thing."

He leaned back a little so he could see her whole face. "You are one remarkable woman, Frey Reynolds," he breathed, shaking his head slightly.

"That I am," she agreed. "And don't you forget it."

He moved back in and kissed her softly. "So you've forgiven me?"

"Depends. Have you forgiven me?"

"Nothing to forgive."

She smiled. "Then let's go to bed."

"I need to take my last turn around the –"

"Not tonight. Tonight you can leave it to someone else."

"Ain't no-one else gonna do that for me."

"Then it doesn't get done." She stroked his neck, running her fingers down inside his collar to his chest. "I don't ever intend to go to bed mad, Mal."

"Sounds like a plan," he whispered, hooking his arm around her waist and pulling her beneath him.

-x-

"Do you think they've made up?" Hank asked, glancing around as Zoe stepped onto the bridge.

"I should think so. They love each other too much to let it be like that."

"I tried to give him the benefit of my vast and worldly advice," Hank admitted. "But I ain't sure he was listening."

"Mmn. Freya spoke to me too." Zoe was standing behind him, looking out at the stars.

"Mule-headed, the pair of them," Hank agreed, turning to stare out of the bridge windows. "Pretty, ain't they?" he went on. "Sometimes you forget just how beautiful they are, and how much you love 'em, don't you?"

"That you do." With that Zoe leaned over and took his head in her hands, pulling him around to face her. She looked into his astonished eyes for just a moment, then lowered her lips to his. His arms came up, his fingers on her back, lifting himself from the pilot's chair until she released him slowly.

"What …" He coughed and swallowed. "What was that?"

"When we get to Phoros tomorrow, you and me, we will go out. Spend some time together. Away from here." She still had hold of his head, her fingers in his scruffy brown hair. "_Dong mah_?"

"Um, sure, w … whatever you say," Hank stammered, trying to nod.

"Shiny." She kissed him once more, just lightly, then let him go. "Good night."

"Uh ... 'night." He watched her walk off the bridge, her head high, not looking back, still feeling her in his mouth. She tasted of honey …


	2. Chapter 2

Freya stood in the doorway of the galley and watched Hank and Zoe on the bridge, being so polite to each other, and felt annoyance wash through her. "They're no further on," she said, shaking her head and coming back to the table.

"They're going out today," Kaylee said, jiggling Bethany over her shoulder.

"Yes, but with the rest of us."

"No, they're going _out_ out."

"_Out_ out? As in date out?"

"Well, I'm not sure about a date …"

Freya sat down. "And who told you?"

"Hank. He sort of wanted permission so he and Zoe could slip away. In case I got upset." She smiled. "As if I would." Bethany burped satisfactorily.

"Are you sure that's Simon's baby?" Freya asked. "Only she sounds a lot more like Jayne."

Kaylee looked scandalised. "Are you suggesting –"

"No, no," Freya said quickly. "I'll hold off on that until she says her first word."

"She is not gonna grow up cussing," Kaylee said firmly. "Ain't gonna happen."

"Right," Freya said, nodding unconvincingly. "On this boat. With this crew. All so gentlemanly and ladylike that they never say a rude word."

Inara giggled slightly. "Of course they don't," she agreed. "It's all in Kaylee's imagination."

"And of course Kaylee never swears."

"Never."

Kaylee looked from one to the other then laughed. "You two oughtta be ashamed of yourselves."

"Nope, that ain't gonna happen either," Freya promised, smiling.

River glanced up towards the bridge. "He's doing it again."

"Doing what, honey?" Inara asked.

"Thinking about her. In bed. But he's not saying anything." She looked at the others who were staring at her. "Well, he's so _loud_."

"So he pussy-foots," Freya said in disgust. "Doesn't he know that's the one thing she can't abide?"

"He's hoping so hard," River replied, picking up a coloured pencil. "He wants it so badly but he's scared." She touched the picture gently. "And they did kiss last night."

The women stared at her.

"They did what?" Freya asked, leaning on the table.

"They kissed. Or Zoe kissed Hank and he returned it." River didn't look up.

Inara and Freya glanced at each other, and Kaylee made a sound like a balloon loosing air.

"Zoe kissed Hank," Inara said slowly.

"I believe I just said that."

"And he never said …" Freya couldn't believe it. "I'd've thought he'd be jumping for joy!"

"He's afraid it might all melt away," River said, her head on one side as she perused her drawing.

Freya looked up the corridor towards the bridge. Maybe the first mate was standing just a little closer to the pilot than she usually did. "Way to go, Zo," she murmured. "Just so long as she doesn't kill him."

"I think it will work," River said gravely, and held up her sketchbook.

Freya laughed out loud. "River, I think you've got the right idea."

The other two women stared, and then couldn't help it. They joined in.

"I like the hint of colour," Inara said around her gaiety.

"Pretty," Kaylee said, her hand in front of her mouth.

"Not sure you've got Hank's physique quite right, though," Freya added.

"He's been working out," River replied.

"Ah. Then I take it back."

"Do you think we should do something with it?" Kaylee asked, biting her lips.

"Burn it," Inara said firmly. "If they see this …"

"I'm keeping it," River said, closing the pad on the picture of Zoe and Hank locked in each other's arms, his chest bare, the merest suggestion of the shuttle behind them. "Maybe I'll frame it as a wedding present."

-x-

Down in the cargo bay, Mal looked around. "Where's Zoe?" he asked. "I thought she wanted to meet Kaylee's family."

Freya stepped down the staircase. "She's coming: she's getting ready for her big date, Mal," she said.

"What, with Hank?" Mal asked. "Does she need to get prepared for that?"

"No. Just wants to." She crossed the bay floor and smiled at him. "If you don't mind."

He grinned at her. "No, not at all. You okay?"

"Shiny," she said, lifting her chin enough so she could just touch her lips to his.

Hank ran down the steps. "Not late, am I?" he asked, pushing at his hair to try and get it to lie down, and failing miserably.

"No," Freya said, smiling. "And you look nice."

"Nice?" Hank looked down at his white shirt and dark pants. "I was kinda going for sophisticated."

"Then you almost succeeded."

He stood with his hands on his hips, about to make a smart rejoinder, when Kaylee hurried out of the doorway to the common area, Bethany in her arms. "We ready?" she asked, her face flushed.

"Soon as we open the door."

"Where's Simon?"

"Here," the young man said, joining her. "Still scared?" he asked.

"Scared?" Mal put in. "What're you scared for, little Kaylee?"

"Ain't scared. Never said that," Kaylee replied, sticking her chin forward. "It's just … it's the first time they get to meet Bethany. And all'a you. Could be a mite … overwhelming."

Mal smiled. "_Mei-mei_, if it looks like they can't take us all in one go, I'll send Jayne off to find a whorehouse."

The big man brightened. "Wouldn't mind that, Cap'n," he said quickly. "If'n it makes life easier, 'n' all."

"There aren't any," Kaylee said firmly.

"What, none?"

"Maybe in town, but I ain't never heard of one."

"What kind of self-respecting place don't have a whorehouse?"

"Jayne, I think you just answered your own question," Mal said. He smiled at the rest of his crew as Zoe walked down the stairs. "Ready?" he asked.

"Cap'n, you doing this on purpose?" Kaylee asked.

Mal grinned and opened the cargo bay doors.

Outside in the sunshine of the Phoros morning, a group of people were waiting.

"Kaylee!" squealed the older woman, rushing forward.

"Momma!" Kaylee hurried out of the ship, holding out one arm to embrace her mother, her brothers crowding around.

"Oh, it's so good to see you," Eleanor Frye cried, hugging her. "And is this …" She looked down at the bundle in her daughter's arms.

"This is Bethany," Kaylee said. "Your granddaughter." She carefully placed the little baby into Mrs Frye's arms and pulled back the blanket.

"Ooh." There were tears in her mother's eyes as she looked down at the sleeping child. "Bethany. Oh, Kaylee."

"Wow," one of her brothers said. "She looks like you."

"Ain't so, Bobby," another said, thumping him on the shoulder. "Kaylee's prettier."

"Don't go hitting your brother, Joe," his mother scolded. "And they're both pretty."

Kaylee's older brother swatted them across the back of the head. "Behave," he said.

"Aw, Bill!"

The oldest brother just stood and grinned.

"Don't know what you're laughing at, Pete," Bobby said, still smarting. "You keep on the way you've been going with Lily, and you'd be the one presenting a kid."

Pete didn't say a word, but his eyes promised swift retribution later. Trouble was, Bobby couldn't care less.

"Boys," their mother said. "Ssh. You'll wake the baby."

Kaylee felt her own eyes misting up, and was glad when Simon stepped down behind her, putting his arm around her.

"Momma, this is Simon," she said, breathing deeply to try and keep her heart from bursting from her chest.

Mrs Frye looked him up and down. "You look like you need a decent meal inside you," she said, wiping her face with the sleeve of her dress. "But you seem okay."

Simon smiled. "Thank you, Mrs Frye. And I'm doing my best to make Kaylee happy."

"Well, see that you do."

"Pa?" Kaylee said, looking at the man standing behind her brothers grouped around Bethany. "Ain't you gonna say hello?"

Edmundos Frye took a step forward, somewhat hesitantly. "You married yet, Kaylee girl?"

Kaylee sighed. "Not yet, Pa."

"How come?"

"Pa …"

"He treating you right?" Mr Frye looked at Simon.

"I ain't never been so happy, Pa."

Mr Frye nodded slowly. "Then that's something." He glared at Simon. "You gonna marry my girl, Mr Tam?"

"As soon as she says yes," Simon acknowledged.

"Then I reckon that's okay." A smile grew on his face, making him look a decade younger. "But I ain't too sure about being called a granddad so soon."

"Eddie!" his wife admonished. "Why don't you come see her before you make comments like that?"

"I was intending to do just that," he said, pushing one of his sons out of the way and looking down at the child in his wife's arms. "So this is Bethany."

"That she is," Kaylee said. "My daughter."

"Sounds kinda odd."

"I think it sounds perfect," Simon said.

"Yeah. I guess maybe it does," Mr Frye admitted.

Mal and the others hung back. Out of all of them, only Freya had ever met the Fryes, and it was somewhat odd to see Kaylee surrounded by a family other than theirs.

Edmundos Frye sighed, then looked at the other group. "Nice to see you again, Ms Nordstrom," he said, smiling a little at Freya.

"It's Reynolds now," she said, holding out her hand.

He took it, pressing it between both of his for a moment before releasing. "Yeah, so I heard. At least someone got married."

Freya laughed. "And this is my husband. Captain Malcolm Reynolds."

Mal stepped forward. "Mr Frye."

"Never did get a chance to meet when you took my little'un off-world," Kaylee's father said gruffly. "Hope she's been keeping herself outta mischief."

Mal smiled. "I don't know I can rightly say that, sir," he admitted. "But she's closest I'll ever get to having a sister."

Freya glanced at him. Always something new to learn about this man, she thought.

"Then that's about all a father can ask," Mr Frye said. "So you've gone and gotten yourself hitched."

"All but three months ago," Mal said, pulling Freya into his embrace.

"Still on honeymoon?"

"Always," Mal replied, smiling.

Mr Frye regarded them both, then nodded. "Yeah. Sometimes you can see when it's gonna work. And I pretty much think you're gonna be fine."

"Thank you."

"And who are the rest of these fine people?"

"My crew, Mr Frye." Mal released Freya so he could turn and make the introductions. "This is Zoe, my first mate, Hank, my pilot … and that's Inara."

The Companion inclined her head gracefully, and Mr Frye nodded back.

"And that's Jayne."

The mercenary and the father studied each other, sizing the other up. "Yeah, I figured it probably was," Mr Frye said eventually. "And this must be River." He smiled at the young girl.

"Are we related?" she asked, slipping her hand into his.

He was surprised. "I don't think so."

"But Kaylee's your daughter, and Simon's my brother, so we must be, through Bethany."

"I ain't sure that's how it works."

"But that makes Kaylee my sister," River insisted.

Mal went to take the young psychic's arm, but Mr Frye shook his head.

"Maybe you're right," he said slowly. "And I know she's always wanted one. All those brothers, and not a sister amongst 'em."

River glanced across at them, and smiled. "No," she agreed.

"Well, better not keep everyone out here," Mr Frye said, disentangling his arm from this rather worrisome child. "There's food and other refreshments at the house. I think it's time for a party."

Jayne grinned. "Sounds good to me." He stepped forward and clapped the older man on the back. "You like cigars?" he asked.

-x-

"I don't know about this," Hank said, his forehead creased with anxiety. "It's a mighty fancy place. Too fancy for the likes of me."

Zoe looked at him. "If you're worried about the money –"

"No! No, it ain't that!" he said quickly, although just a glance at the menu outside the restaurant had him thinking he could probably just about afford a glass of water.

"You once said you'd spend every penny you had on me," Zoe pointed out.

"And I will. Just … does it have to be all in one go?"

Zoe's lips twitched. "Then we'll find somewhere else."

"But you wanted to go here."

"Not really," she admitted, walking off, Hank hurrying to keep up. "It looked quite nice."

"There's that word again. Nice."

"Do you have a problem with nice?"

"No." He paused. "Well, not really. It's just … it's something people say when they don't want to be too committal."

"So if I say you're nice, you'll take offence."

"Well, it wouldn't …" He stopped in his tracks. "You think I'm nice?"

"I thought I was being non-committal." She turned to look at him, his face all eager, his sea-green eyes shining hopefully.

"Zoe …"

She sighed. "Hank, I have just one question for you."

"Yes," he said firmly. "Whatever it is, the answer is yes."

"You don't know what it is yet."

"I don't care. Whatever you want, yes."

"It's not so much what I want, as what you can do." She looked at him, her face carefully impassive.

A whole stream of images flashed through his mind, but he pushed them all away. "Then ask already."

"Can you juggle?"

That almost floored him. "What?"

"Can you juggle? Balls, sticks, geese?"

"Geese?" Now he was really confused.

"Just answer the question."

He stared at her, then slowly shook his head. "Um, no. Never had the co-ordination. Not a good thing, being a pilot and all, but I've never …" He paused. "Do you want me to learn?"

"No."

"Then –"

"Hank." Zoe stepped closer, her voice soft. "Believe it or not, that was the right answer."

"Great!" He cheered up immediately. "Not sure how, but great!"

She smiled. "Come on. Let's find something a bit more within our price range."

-x-

It was hot inside the house, and more people were arriving all the time. Kaylee was taking a few minutes to be on her own, sitting on the stoop outside.

Edmondos Frye opened the door and looked down at his daughter, shaking his head. "How come you're not saying yes?" he asked.

Kaylee hugged her knees. "No reason. Just ain't the right time."

"Little Winnie, you've got a baby. Don't you think that's making it the right time?"

She smiled at the use of his old pet name for her. "Pa, it ain't like that."

"So tell me what it's like." He lowered himself to the stoop next to her. "You tell me."

Kaylee bit her lip. "Pa, I know I got a baby. And I wouldn't have it no other way. And I love Simon. That ain't something I ever expected, someone like him wanting me. And we spent so long not being together that I … well, maybe I'm scared."

"You?" her father asked, chuckling a little. "I didn't think my little girl was scared of anything."

"I just don't want him marryin' me 'cause of the baby."

"You think he'd do that?" Kaylee shrugged. "Winnie, maybe I thought he should, when you came and told us you was pregnant, but now I've met the man, and … Kaylee, he loves you. Anyone seeing you has to know that. And if you're waiting for me to give my blessing, you got it."

Kaylee leaned over and put her arms around her father. "Thank you. You don't know how much that means."

He patted her hand. "Only it ain't just that, is it?"

"Why would it be anything else, Pa?"

"'Cause I know you." He sighed. "But I also know you ain't gonna tell me if you don't want to."

"It's shiny. Honest." She smiled at him. "And I will marry Simon. When I'm good and ready."

"Good." It wasn't the best of answers, but he knew his daughter enough not to push. "Come on. Your aunt and uncle have arrived, and they want to see what a fine young lady you've grown into."

"Ain't grown into that, Pa," Kaylee protested, grinning happily.

"Well, I told 'em that, but they want to see for themselves."

Kaylee punched him on the arm, then allowed him to lead her back inside.


	3. Chapter 3

That was it. Too many people, too much noise when she was used to the space of Serenity and the hum of the engine, and Freya was standing outside getting some fresh air and relief from the crush of bodies in the small house. She was considering that having a big family meant you had to be friendly, just as the door behind her opened and Edmundos Frye came out.

"Bit too much for you?" he asked.

"A little," she admitted, looking back into the evening air. The lights were still on in the factories, indicating that when it was around, work was pretty much twentyfourseven.

"Well, folks want to meet the new arrival," he explained. "Got people come from miles away, just to see Bethany."

Freya smiled. "Worth the trip, don't you think?"

"Oh, I wouldn't disagree with you on that topic." He pulled a small cigar from his pocket. "Do you mind?"

She shook her head. "No, please."

Mr Frye lit up, puffing to get a good head going. "Your man Jayne gave me a couple, but I'll save them for later."

"He likes a good cigar," she agreed.

"So what's with the name?"

Freya grinned into the darkness. "I don't know. I never got up the courage to ask."

"I guess it explains why he looks the way he does." Mr Frye inhaled. "Being called Jayne must make you wanna beat up on people."

"I think it's just a coincidence."

"Could be." There was a silence, then he went on, "Mrs Reynolds, when you came last time, you told me you'd look after Kaylee."

"That I did."

"And you have. So now I have to ask. Do you know why she ain't agreeing to marry the young doctor?"

Freya was surprised. "I ... I don't know."

"Have you asked her?"

"Well, no. I just figured she'd say yes when she was ready."

"Weren't you?"

"I don't –"

"Kaylee wrote us, told us you'd lost a baby."

Freya closed her eyes. "I … yes."

"How'd that happen?"

She remembered falling, but not hitting. Just being in the air … "It was an accident. Nothing anyone could've done."

"But you were going to marry the captain because you were pregnant."

She looked at him. "I was going to marry Mal because he asked me. And I loved him. Still do." She twisted the rings on her finger. Such a little box … "I got around to marrying him three months ago."

"But he asked because –"

"Mr Frye, I don't know why Kaylee won't marry Simon."

"It still pains you, I'm sorry."

She looked towards the horizon. "I shouldn't … it's just that …" She paused. So many tears … "We should ... The nursery should be finished, waiting and I … buying those last few things."

"I'm sorry."

"It isn't your fault." She took a deep breath, pushing it away yet again. "So, Kaylee."

"Mmn." Mr Frye acknowledged the change of subject with a nod of his head. "I was wondering whether you could talk to her. Find out why she won't say yes."

"I'm sure she will. Eventually."

"Well I ain't. There's something going on in Kaylee's head, and she's brewing up to something. I've seen the signs before, and it's always been bad news." He exhaled noisily. "Don't happen often, just a few times when she was growing up, but you don't wanna be around when it happens. Last time it was when she wanted to go on that boat of yours, be a mechanic. When I told her no."

"And this time you think it's to do with not marrying Simon?"

"I do." He stuck his hands in his pants pockets, all stern and fatherly at the same time.

Freya couldn't help but smile. "I'll try."

"Thanks." He looked sincerely grateful. "Look, why don't you go to Kaylee's old workshop? It's just a shed round back, but I ain't had the heart to clear it out. It's all still full of her stuff, old tools and the like. I'll send her to you."

"No time like the present, eh?"

"None at all."

Freya nodded. "Sure. Besides, maybe that shed'll give me a better idea of what makes Kaylee tick."

"The way that girl is, it's probably clockwork." Mr Frye walked back into the house.

Freya turned back to the night, but wasn't surprised by the voice reaching out to her.

"Is that why you've been prickly lately?" Mal asked, coming out of the darkness.

She looked at him. "Have I?"

"Yes." He put his arms around her, just holding her lightly. "I hadn't worked it out, maybe I didn't want to, but … I guess it would be time." He glanced down at her flat belly.

She swallowed. "Yes." She leaned into him, not wanting to look into his eyes, to see the pain and concern still there.

"I'm sorry." He tightened his grip on her as he felt her shudder. "I wish …"

"Me too."

They didn't speak for a few minutes, just used the warmth of their bodies to comfort each other. After a while Freya pushed away, turning so he couldn't see the tears on her face, the loss still eating at her. He felt the fabric of his shirt, and the dampness there.

"Frey …"

"I … Mr Frye has asked me to talk to Kaylee, about Simon," his wife said, not turning back. "I'll … we can talk later." She walked into the darkness.

He watched for a moment, then shook his head. "No, Frey," he called, chasing her and catching her arm. "Not later. Now."

She looked at him in surprise. "Mal?"

"I should have realised. And you could have told me," he said, dropping his head a little so he could gaze directly into her dark eyes. "I ain't such an ogre, am I?"

"I just … didn't want people to feel sorry for me."

"Pity? Is that what this is about?" She shrugged. Mal sighed, pulling her into him again. "Frey, honey, I wish you were giving birth right now. That we were holding Alice, looking forward to her first words, her first steps, her first … hell, even her first boyfriend. Though I draw the line at it being someone like Jayne." He felt her laugh a little, and was grateful.

"If that was who she wanted …" Freya pointed out, holding him tightly. "It just seems such a waste."

"It is." He kissed the top of her head. "It will always be that. And seeing Bethany can't make it any easier."

"No, no, Mal," she insisted, looking into his face. "I've got past that, honestly. And she is so cute, so …" A tear rolled down her cheek and he kissed it away.

"So perfect."

"Mmn." Freya sniffed hard. "But we can't change the past, can we?"

"Nope. Just look to the future."

"Even if there are no children in it for us?"

Mal smiled. "Frey, the way Simon and Kaylee are still sexing each other up, there'll be a little brother or sister for Bethany before too long, and I don't doubt eventually we won't be able to move on Serenity for kids."

"I guess."

"And ours'll be there too."

"Mal –"

"No, Frey." He squeezed her to silence her. "Ours. One day."

"You seem so sure."

"Hell, I'm captain. I get to be sure."

She smiled at him at last. "Okay, Captain."

"Good. Now, you'd better get to talking with Kaylee. I'm kinda curious myself to find out why she won't say yes."

"I thought you didn't approve of shipboard romances?" Freya asked, letting him go and straightening her clothes.

"That rule seems to have gone the way of all flesh, as they say. And now what with Hank and Zoe …" He shook his head, looking mighty sad. "Maybe I should just change the name of my ship to the Love Boat."

Freya laughed. "Over my dead body." She leaned in to kiss him lightly, before walking swiftly into the darkness.

He watched her leave, controlling the ache inside him, then Simon bustled out of the house.

"Mal, Jayne's trying to … Mal?" The young doctor peered at him. "You okay?"

"What's he doing now, doc?" the captain of Serenity asked, putting his armour back on.

"He's … oh, you'd better come and stop him."

-x-

Freya knew it was Kaylee's old work room: it said so on the door, on a hand-painted sign with flowers around it. She smiled. The girl hadn't changed so much. She stepped inside and pulled the string to turn on the light. No, not that much at all.

There was a workbench, gouged deeply here and there, but obscured with bits and pieces of machinery. Tools lined the walls, mostly old, some rusty, but all in their place. A layer of dust covered everything.

She picked up a piece of tubing, about the width of her forearm, wires sticking out of it haphazardly.

"Never did get to finish that," Kaylee said from the doorway.

"What is it?" Freya asked, smiling.

"Just an idea I had for a recycler." She took it from the older woman. "Guess it'll never get done now."

"I don't know." Freya grinned. "You could take it all back with to Serenity with you."

"I don't think the Cap'n would approve of me filling his engine room with junk! He ain't got over the last time the space monkeys got loose." Kaylee smiled and dropped the recycler back onto the bench. "'Sides, I got me more than enough to keep busy."

"That you do." Freya turned to examine the tools more closely. "And where is Simon?"

"He's trying to stop Jayne from making a really bad mistake."

Freya looked over her shoulder in surprise. "What kind of mistake?"

"Oh, the kind where you end up with a shotgun in your back, saying 'I do'."

"Kaylee, explain yourself."

The young mechanic grinned. "He's making eyes at Juliette, my cousin. Only she's … well, somewhat even-handed with the way she portions herself out."

"Just Jayne's type, I'd'a thought."

"Only her daddy, my daddy's brother, has been trying to catch one of 'em at it, so he could marry her off. Get her off his hands, so to speak."

"And he wouldn't mind Jayne for a son-in-law?"

"If he's male and breathing, that's about all the qualifications he needs."

"I think Jayne can manage those." Freya smiled. "I'm surprised Mal isn't encouraging him."

Kaylee laughed. "Actually I think River's dealing with her."

"Now that wouldn't surprise me." She turned over a couple more bits of dead machinery. "So, what do you figure's going on with those two?"

"Who, Jayne and River?" When Freya nodded, Kaylee shrugged. "I ain't entirely sure. Simon thinks Jayne's getting too … attached to her, but I think it's the other way around."

"Simon _is_ her brother."

"That don't mean he knows everything."

"No, I guess it doesn't." Freya turned to look at Kaylee, the planes on her face sharp in the light from the small bulb. "Like why you won't say yes."

"That why my Pa said you wanted to see me out here?" Kaylee wasn't mad, so much as resigned.

"Something like that." Freya took her arm. "You love Simon, yes?"

"Of course!"

"And you've got a baby together." She shook her head. "Don't you think marriage is kind of the next step?"

"It is," Kaylee agreed.

"Then what's stopping you?" Freya leaned against the workbench. "I mean, even if you don't want to get married yet, you can still say yes. Have a long engagement. A really _long_ engagement."

"It ain't that." Kaylee looked down at her hands.

"Then what is it?"

"Well …" She took a deep breath, then glanced up at Freya. "I'm kinda engaged already."


	4. Chapter 4

"You're what?" Freya had to force herself to breathe.

"Engaged. It ain't formal, or nothing. No ring," Kaylee said quickly. "Only … I said I'd marry him."

"Who?"

"Dray."

"And who the hell is Dray?"

"Drayton Buchanan."

"Nope. Still none the wiser."

Kaylee pulled out a stool from under the workbench and sat down, ignoring the dust on it. "His daddy used to work with my daddy, and we were always around each other, playing in my house or his. Got caught once when we were twelve, playing doctors and nurses, but it was worth the whupping."

"Was he your first?" Freya asked gently.

"Hell, no!" Kaylee laughed. "We ain't never been to bed together, no matter what my Pa used to think." The humour died a little in her eyes. "But maybe that's the point. If'n we'd rolled it out in the sack, maybe I wouldn't still be feeling like I'd got an obligation to him."

"What happened?"

"It was the day the Cap'n found me and Bester in the engine room, and he offered me a job …"

"_Kaylee?" Dray poked his head around her bedroom door._

"_Dray!" She dropped the t-shirt she was holding into the bag on the bed and grinned excitedly. "Did ya hear? I got me a job!"_

"_Yeah, your Pa just told me." He stepped inside, pulling the door closed. "Why're you leaving?"_

"_Didn't you hear what I just said? I got a job!" Kaylee turned to the small open chest next to the bed and pulled a pair of coveralls from it, twisting them over and around until she could squash them into the bag as well._

"_So?" Dray put his hand on her arm. "I thought you and me … we was going to be together."_

_She looked at him. "It's just a job, Dray. Don't mean like I'm going to be away forever."_

"_But it's on a ship. Taking you off into the black. That's almost forever."_

"_I'll be home. Regular, I bet. And we can write."_

"_You know I ain't no good at putting my feelings down in words." He looked so sad that Kaylee felt sorry for him._

_She took him by the arms and sat him down on the bed. "Dray, we're good, yeah?" She lifted his chin so she could look into his eyes, grey like a storm cloud. "And it ain't forever, no matter what you say."_

_He lifted his hands and pulled her towards him, fastening his lips hungrily on hers. She let herself be rolled onto the bed, feeling the weight of him above her, the pressure of his hand on her thigh, reaching up under the floral dress she was still wearing._

"_God, Kay," he moaned, trying to get his fingers under the edge of her panties._

_She luxuriated in the closeness for a moment, then pushed him back. "No, Dray. Not here. And not now."_

_He looked down at her. "Why not? Why not me, Kaylee?"_

"_It ain't …" Kaylee wriggled out from underneath him, standing up and pulling her dress down. "You're special, Dray. I don't … I ain't gonna spoil it."_

"_What if I want it spoiled?" He sat up, swinging his legs from the edge of the bed. "I've been waiting for you for a long time, Kay. And I've seen you go with all those other men, with that man today, that mechanic, and I've wanted to know why I ain't good enough for you."_

_She gave a little cry and went down onto her haunches in front of him, taking his hand in hers. "It ain't that!" she insisted. "It's the other way around! I ain't good enough for you!"_

"_What?" He looked so confused, then angry, then just sad. "Kay, you're beautiful."_

"_Beauty ain't everything, Dray. Men've told me I'm pretty for a long time, and after a while yeah, maybe you get to believe it. But when they up and leave you because they've got what they want, or you leave them because they're clinging too hard … don't feel so beautiful then."_

"_Am I clinging?"_

_She reached up and touched his cheek, still warm with need. "No. You're different, Dray. I know you care about me for me, not what you can get outta me. And that makes you special."_

"_That why you won't lie with me?"_

_She nodded, standing up. "I don't sleep with men I care for, Dray. It's something I decided a long time ago. When that happens, it'll be with the man I want to spend my life with. Who I'll want to have kids with." She couldn't take the look in his eyes and swirled away, picking up her brush, her comb, and the small slide he'd bought her to put in her hair._

"_Couldn't that be me?" he asked, standing up and putting his hands on her shoulders, making her stop._

"_I …" She looked at herself and him in the mirror on the wall, how suddenly he was taller than her, his body more compact than before, more muscular, and she felt a shiver inside._

"_Kay?"_

_She turned around. "I don't know, Dray." She was trembling, but whether it was with desire or fear she wasn't sure. "Maybe you are the one. But I've got to do this, get out there and see something of the 'verse before I settle down and get fat, popping babies every year."_

"_You'll make a great mom," he said, dropping his head to nuzzle at her neck._

"_No, that ain't in me," she responded, closing her eyes a little to enjoy the feeling more. "More at home with a compression coil than a diaper. But it'll happen, maybe. One day."_

"_Stay with me. We can get married."_

_Kaylee's eyes flew open and she stepped away from him. "What did you say?"_

"_Marry me."_

_She stared. "You ain't serious."_

"_I am. Even if you have to do this, go away on that ship, see the 'verse if you want to, but come back and marry me." He smiled at her. "I want that."_

"_You don't mean it."_

_He grinned and dropped to one knee. "Kaywinnet Lee Frye … will you marry me?"_

"_Get up," she said quietly. "Get up! What if Pa comes in, finds you like this?"_

"_Then he'd be glad for us."_

"_Please," she pleaded._

"_Not until I get an answer." He held out his hands towards her. "Kay, I love you. I always have, ever since we fell out of the Johnson's apple tree together and you carried me home 'cause I'd broken my ankle."_

"_That weren't nothing to fall in love with someone over."_

"_That, and more. Answer me, Kaylee. Will you marry me?"_

_She looked at him, his eyes hopeful, not sure whether to smile or cry. "Okay," she said, nodding. "When I come home, I'll marry you."_

_He jumped to his feet and picked her up around the waist, twirling her in the centre of the room. "I can't wait to tell folks!" he said, laughing._

"_No, no!" she insisted, holding tightly to his shoulders. "You can't!"_

_He stopped, setting her down to look her in the face. "Why not?"_

"_Because …" She didn't know what to say, just that she didn't want him to. "Because it's our secret."_

"_A secret?" He shook his head. "Kay, I want to shout it out."_

"_Not yet." She smiled tentatively. "I'm going away for a while, and you have your own life. I ain't gonna make you be a monk, 'cause I ain't likely to come over all nun-like myself. But I'll marry you when I come back, only you got to keep it to yourself until then."_

"_Kay –"_

"_Promise."_

_He sighed deeply. "Okay, I promise."_

_She patted him on the arm and kissed him lightly. "Now, you gonna help me get my stuff together? The Captain ain't gonna want to have to wait."_

Kaylee sighed, twisting her fingers together. "And I left. Got on board Serenity and flew out into the black."

"Have you seen him since?" Freya asked gently.

"No. He wrote me, once or twice, but there ain't been nothing for more'n three years."

"Kaylee, it isn't a good enough reason not to say yes to Simon."

The young woman looked up, and there were tears in her eyes. "I know," she said. "And it's not like I'd marry him, not no more. If I ever would've. I figured out a long time ago I said yes just to stop him, so I could go. But I still said yes."

"Do you think he's still waiting?"

Kaylee shrugged. "I don't know. I ain't … I been too scared to ask."

"Oh, Kaylee," Freya said, stepping forward and putting her arms around her.

"Crazy, ain't it?" She was trembling. "I want to marry Simon so bad, but I can't even think about it until this is sorted out."

"Then sort it." Freya leaned back enough to look Serenity's mechanic in the face. "Where does he live?"

"Used to be couple of streets away. I don't know if he's still there. His folks probably still are. People don't move around much here." Kaylee pulled away and looked down at her feet, then asked hesitantly, "You … you think I should tell Simon?"

"Yes, I do. And I think you should have before now. It's not going to be easy, either."

"I know that. He'll think I've been keeping secrets from him."

"You have."

"Not by choice!" Kaylee insisted. "Hell, I ain't never told anyone, not even Inara, and that was something there were times I wished I could. But … I made Dray give his word he wouldn't tell anyone, so I had to do the same. Not fair otherwise."

"Oh, Kaylee," Freya said, pulling the girl back into her arms and hugging her. "Come on." She let go and took Kaylee's hand. "I'll come with you, if you like."

"Frey –"

"We need to get this dealt with. Before Simon's the one with the shotgun in his back."

"Pa wouldn't do that," Kaylee said firmly, getting to her feet. "Might have if it had been Simon come with me when we told them, but not now. He knows it's up to me."

"Then there really is no time like the present." Freya smiled gently. "Hell, if you don't say yes soon, the boy's gonna explode."

-x-

Zoe sat back and put the menu down on the table in front of her, watching Hank trying to make up his mind. "Well?" she asked.

"Ssh, I'm thinking," he said, his lips working slightly as he tried to make sense of the options. "Don't they just have something easy?"

Zoe hid a grin. "According to the Cortex, this is an up and coming restaurant." They'd stopped at a public terminal to find someplace close by and within Hank's somewhat restricted budget.

"Yeah, but couldn't they cook the food in English?"

"What did you fancy?" she asked, then added quickly, "In the way of something to eat."

"Not sure." This time Zoe sighed, and Hank looked up guiltily. "Look, I ain't used to eating in fancy places. If I go out to eat, it tends to be in a fast food shop, or a bar where they serve bowls of things on the counter. Which I never touch, by the way." He shuddered slightly. "If you'd seen where the men in there had had their hands …"

"We didn't have to come here."

"You wanted to!"

"No, you insisted on a meal."

"Well, because it's a date!"

"Is it?"

He stared at her, and she was surprised to see something like anger flash across his face. "So you're playing games with me?" he asked, his voice quiet. "'Cause if that's the case, I ain't in the playing mood."

There was a pregnant pause, almost long enough for it to be born and go to school, then Zoe said, "I'm sorry."

"What?" Hank was so shocked he almost fell off his chair. "You're apologising?"

"I went too far." She leaned forward, her tight curls of hair falling from her shoulder. "You're right, this is a date. I'm just … scared."

Hank closed his mouth, aware it was hanging open. "Why?"

"Because … of how I feel."

"And how's that?" Hank waved his hands. "Tell me, 'cause I have no idea what goes on in that head of yours."

"It ain't my head that's the problem." Zoe picked up the menu again and pretended to study it, but he pushed it down.

"Then what particular portion of your stunning anatomy are we talking about here?" he asked, peering at her.

"Hank, I know it's time to move on. And I am attracted to you. Maybe more than attracted. But it scares me."

"Because I might up and get myself killed too?"

She pushed away the image of Wash sitting in the pilot's chair … "You nearly did because you weren't wearing the armour I bought you."

"It rubs!"

"I don't care. I don't want you to die."

"Me neither," he admitted. "I'm having far too much fun trying to persuade the most beautiful woman I have ever seen that I ain't just around for the short haul, but I'll be here as long as she wants me. If she wants me."

Zoe stared at him, about to answer, when all hell broke loose. Figuratively speaking.

It was so sudden the patrons didn't have a chance to react. From sitting eating their meals, chatter rolling from one side of the room to the other, to five armed men bursting in, was barely a heartbeat.

"Listen up!" called the leader, firing his gun into the ceiling and allowing small fragments of plaster to fall like snow. "Everybody be peaceable and we'll be gone before you know it." He laughed and stroked the flakes from his long brown coat.

Zoe tensed, but Hank shook his head.

"Zoe …" he pleaded almost silently.

She looked at him, anger in her eyes, but she stayed her hand. They were armed and she wasn't.

"Best be getting any fancy bits you got with you out now," the leader of the gang went on. "And we'll be obliged if you can donate them to a far worthier cause." He nodded to one of his men, who pulled a sack from his pocket and started going from table to table. One of the others had pushed the waiters to one side and was going through the till, stuffing bills into another bag.

The man with the sack stopped by Zoe, rattling it in front of her.

"Ain't got nothing to give," she said flatly.

He rattled it again.

"Here," Hank said, holding out the notes from his pocket, about to drop them inside.

"No," Zoe said, grabbing his hand and pushing it to the table.

The man drew his gun, aiming it squarely between her eyes. "Don't be stupid," he said. "No-one has to die."

Zoe just stared at him.

The leader, seeing something not quite going to plan, ambled over. "What the _tyen shia duh_ is going on here?"

"She's being crazy, boss."

He looked at Zoe, a flash of recognition crossing his face. "Yeah? Looks like it ain't the first time either." He tapped his man on the shoulder. "And you're gonna shoot her for a few credits? Go on, there's better tables than that."

The other man looked at him, obviously confused, but nodded and hurried off.

Zoe looked at the leader, her face inscrutable.

"Thanks," Hank said quietly.

The leader barely glanced at him. "Next time, tell your girlfriend not to be so _feng kuang_, okay? Likely to get herself shot."

"Oh, I will," Hank promised.

The leader straightened up, looking around the restaurant. "We done?" There was general mutterings of agreement. "Good." He smiled. "Now, all you good people, just get to your feet and follow that feller over there. He's gonna lock you somewhere safe, and then we'll be about our business. Got a few more places to visit for donations tonight, so we don't want anyone raising any kind of alarms."

Everyone got to their feet, Zoe last of all, her eyes never leaving the man in charge. She watched as he collected the bags, swinging them over his shoulder, almost gay in his attitude, like he was having the best of times.

"Zoe …" Hank said, touching her arm.

Still glancing over her shoulder, she followed him and the others to the back. One of them was standing by a large, walk-in freezer, herding the customers and staff inside. Hank paused, uncertain.

"Get moving," one of the gunmen said, poking him in the back with his firearm. "It ain't switched on much."

"Um, couldn't you just tie me up?" he asked, rubbing his hands together in anxiety. "Or knock me out. Just hit me over the head. Or … or …"

The man pushed him inside

"Oh, shit," Hank said, watching the door close firmly behind them. There was a dull sound as the lock engaged. "Double shit."

Zoe stepped to the door, trying the handle. "They've wedged it." She looked around at the frightened people. "Does anyone have a com on them?"

There was general mutterings, and shaking of heads.

"Someone will notice," the maitre-D said. "We've got bookings for the whole evening."

"Great," Hank said. "How much air is there in here, do you suppose?" He loosened his collar.

Zoe looked at him. "What?"

"Does it seem a mite warm in here?"

Zoe stared at him, then something approaching understanding flittered across her face. "Are you claustrophobic?" she asked, amazed.

"Well, no, just … I ain't too comfortable in closed spaces, not when I can't get out."

"And you became a pilot on spaceships?"

"Yeah, all that black out there. No getting hemmed in."

"Except you travel around in a tiny tin can."

"It ain't that small, and … " He put the back of his hand on his forehead. "You sure we're not using up all the air?"


	5. Chapter 5

"Are you sure you're not pretending?" Zoe asked, kneeling next to Hank who was lying on the floor, sweating and panting.

"Do I look like I'm pretending?" He closed his eyes, but the darkness just made it worse.

"Just take deep breaths."

"But that'll use the air quicker!"

"We're not going to run out of air," Zoe assured him. "And you need to calm down."

"Calm? Calm?" He sat up and glared at her. "We're locked inside a damn refrigerator and you're telling me to calm down?" He lay back, pulling at his shirt. "There's too many people. I can't breathe …"

Zoe laid down next to him, wrapping her arms around him. "Just listen to my voice. I'm here. I ain't going anywhere. Just listen to my voice and feel my body. Concentrate on that."

"You think that's gonna help?" Hank asked, one part of his mind telling him he should be enjoying this moment, but the rest just trying not to fall off the floor.

"Try."

He did what she said, attempting to slow the heart hammering inside his chest, the raggedness of his breath, the feeling that the walls were closing in, the ceiling coming down to crush his body into a thin smear of something disgusting …

"You're not relaxing," Zoe said.

"You noticed."

"Tell me why."

"What?"

She started to stroke his arm with her hand. "Tell me why you're afraid."

"What, that I'm gonna die in here?" He threw out a brief laugh. "Kinda obvious. Don'tcha think?"

Zoe moved her hand to his chest, wrapping one leg over his, ignoring the stares of the other people in the cold room. He glanced at her, but only saw concern, willing him to take back control. "What happened to make you afraid?"

He nodded. "Long time ago."

"Tell me."

"I was fourteen, nearly fifteen. My voice had barely broken, but everything else seemed to be working fine …"

"_So what do you think of her?" Marv asked, tossing his apple into the air before biting down on it._

"_What, about Lucy?" Hank sat down on a fallen tree and pulled off his boot, searching inside for the stone that was making him limp._

"_Yeah. Cute, ain't she?"_

"_She's okay."_

_Marv stared at him. "More than okay! I've seen the way you watch her, when you think she ain't looking." He grinned. "Surprised your eyeballs ain't popped right outta your head sometimes."_

"_She's okay." Hank blushed, hiding his head so his best friend wouldn't see._

"_Think you might ever take her?"_

_Hank bit down on the retort. "She ain't like that."_

"_Not what I heard."_

"_We're fourteen, Marv," Hank said, pulling his boot back on and standing up, stamping to make sure it was sitting right and take his mind off his raging hormones. "She ain't much more."_

"_Old enough. And I hear she ain't above letting someone she likes have a quick feel." Marv looked thoughtful. "She ever let you?"_

"_No!"_

"_I'm surprised. I think she likes ya."_

"_You're crazy." Hank started to walk on again, back towards town._

"_Ain't." Marv held up his apple. "And I bet her ass looks like this, all round and ripe and juicy."_

"_Marv, that ain't polite."_

"_Don't tell me you ain't ever imagined her naked." Hank didn't answer, and Marv chuckled. "See. You ain't as sly as you make out."_

"_I ain't sly at all."_

"_Then how come you ain't never had a girl?"_

"_Neither have you."_

"_Wanna bet?"_

"_Yeah." Hank faced up. "You got caught with Louanne before you could do anything, and came home with an eye the size of a plate. Ya told me."_

_Marv shrugged, unconcerned. "Least I tried."_

"_Yeah, well, don't go saying you done things when you ain't."_

"_Still, Lucy's pretty fine, ain't she." He started strolling and Hank had to keep up._

"_I guess."_

"_Oh come on. Tell me the truth. You've thought about her."_

"_Marv –"_

"'_Fess up."_

_Hank sighed. "Okay. Yeah. I thought about her. Ever since we saw them skinny-dipping down at the pond. But that was near three years ago."_

"_Long time to hold a torch."_

"_Maybe. But I still dream about her."_

"_I reckon she's filled out somewhat since then." Marv licked his lips. "Kinda like my apple. All juicy."_

"_Juicy Lucy," Hank said, rolling the words around his mouth. "Yeah. That just about describes her." He laughed, suddenly easier now he'd admitted to someone else just how much he liked the girl._

_They were nearly back at the town, just on the outskirts, when Marv stopped. "Shit, I forgot my bag."_

"_Don't worry," Hank said. "It'll be there tomorrow."_

"_You don't get it. I got something I gotta do, and it's in the bag." He backed up the way they'd come, just a few paces._

"_Well I ain't coming all that way. And you can do it tomorrow, whatever it is."_

"_Can't be. Have to do it tonight, or else my Ma'll skin me." He shrugged. "You go on home. I'll see ya." Marv turned and ran._

_Hank stared after him, shaking his head. That boy'd forget his ass if he didn't sit on it all the time. Starting back, he was passing the old Hammerson house, long empty, when someone called his name._

"_Hank."_

_He looked around, and coloured when he saw Lucy sitting on the front step, watching him. "Hey," he managed to say._

"_Hey." She smiled at him and his heart leaped. "Come talk to me."_

_Hank looked around, just making sure it was him she was speaking to, but there was no-one else in sight. "Me?" he asked, to be on the safe side._

"_You." She patted the wood next to her. "Here. Now."_

_He almost ran up the path and plonked himself down. "Thanks," he said, wanting to be all adult and sophisticated, and only managing to make himself look younger and more eager than ever._

"_Seen you watching me," she said, not looking at him, just staring out towards the town._

"_Oh."_

"_Don't mind. Quite like people watching me."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yeah. Makes me feel warm." She laughed a little, pulling at the top of her blouse to make a point._

_Hank swallowed, then nodded. "Warm."_

"_So, you wanna play?" Lucy smiled at him, batting her eyelashes in what her fifteen year old brain thought was a provocative manner._

"_W … what?" Hank stammered._

"_Play." She stood up, letting her thigh just brush his arm. "Play. You know."_

_He gulped air down into suddenly empty lungs, feeling the blood drain from his face and head southwards. "I …"_

"_Come on." She slipped past him and into the old house, the door squealing slightly on rusty hinges._

_He sat for a microsecond more, then jumped up and followed, glad there was little light inside for her to see just how happy he was. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust, but he could just about see she was nowhere in sight._

"_You have to find me," she whispered, her voice filtering through the cobwebs and dust. "And if you do, you get a prize."_

_A grin formed on his face, and he started to search, looking in all the obvious places, then the less obvious, as he found no sign of her. On the top floor he stopped, his nose itching from the dust he was displacing. Wait a minute. Dust. He was going about this all wrong. He'd been searching but he should have been seeing. Up here, and the floor below, there'd been no sign of dust being displaced. But down in the hall … He hurried down the stairs back to the ground floor. Yeah, there is was, disturbance in the dust outside the door to the cellar. He smiled, pleased at his own success and aching for his prize. He opened the door and headed down the steps, managing to step over the missing one before he fell headlong._

"_Lucy?" he called softly. "I know you're down here."_

_He reached the bottom, barely making out details in the gloom. A noise to his left had him turning, and a door swung gently._

"_I'm here," he heard her say._

_He stepped forward, into the darkness. The door slammed behind him. He span on his heel, his arms hitting walls on three sides, wood on the fourth. "Hey!" he called. "Let me out!" He pushed at the door but it was solid. "Let me out!" he called louder. "Lucy!"_

_Someone tapped on the door. "I heard you two," Lucy hissed. "And I don't take kindly to being talked about that way."_

"_Aw, Lucy, let me out. It weren't nothing. Just boys talking."_

"_And this is nothing either. Just me leaving you here for the rats."_

"_Lucy, come on." There was silence. "Lucy!" Still nothing. "Lucy?" Hank leaned on the door, trying to hear if she was there, but he could tell the cellar was empty. "Tah muh duh," he whispered, leaning back on the wall. He had to get out._

_He felt around the small room, then realised it wasn't even that. Just a cupboard, with the fixings for shelves, which he found with his head. Barely two feet wide and less deep. And dark. It was so dark he couldn't even tell if his eyes were open. He went back to the door, trying it again, pushing as hard as he could, but it didn't move. It seemed to be made of stone, not wood._

"_Lucy?" he called hopefully, then heard scrabbling by his feet. "Shit!" Something ran across his boot, and he backed into the corner. "Lucy?"_

"I don't know how long I was there, but it felt like months." Hank was holding tightly to Zoe's arm across his chest, almost as if he was afraid he might fall. "Just listening to the rats around my feet, my heart pounding …" He shuddered. "Eventually I heard someone outside, and I started shouting and screaming to be let out. The door opened and it was Marv. He said Lucy'd told him what she'd done, and he'd hightailed it to the house to let me out." He half-smiled. "I was a wreck. Can't even begin to describe what I looked like. Suffice it to say, my mom wouldn't let me in the house until I'd changed my clothes. And got washed under the tap outside."

"Did she apologise?" Zoe asked, her voice quiet in his ear.

"Sorta." He shrugged, quite difficult when lying on the floor with someone else wrapped around you. "She came up to me about three weeks later, thumped me on the arm and kissed my cheek."

"That's not an apology."

"I figured it was the closest I was likely to get." He turned his head enough so he could look at her, see into her dark, dark eyes. "And I've been slightly worried about tight places ever since."

"You should have told us."

"What, told Mal?" He laughed a little. "He'd never have let me forget it!"

"No, he wouldn't. He understands things like that."

"Hell, it ain't something you tend to let everyone know about, 'less you make it a joke." He looked back into the ceiling. "Makes you feel less than a man."

"I don't think you need to worry about that," Zoe said softly.

He turned to look at her again, but his next words were drowned by the sound of the bolt sliding back outside, and the click of the lock opening.

"You folks okay?" came a timorous voice.

-x-

Kaylee stopped in the middle of the street, staring at the small house. "I don't think I can do this, Frey," she said, nervously twisting her hands together.

"Kaylee, you let this go on when you should have finished it. Just waved this Dray and told him. Now you've kinda got to face the consequences."

"I don't know why I didn't!" Kaylee was anguished. "It just ... I was with Simon, and I thought about it, but then the months went on, and Bethany, and every time I decided to do it, something would happen, and it'd get put to the back burner, and ... I'm just making excuses, ain't I?"

"Yes, you are. And you did lead him on, from what you've said."

"We were young, Frey. Awful young."

"You ain't exactly an old crone now," Freya pointed out. "And when you're young, you do silly things sometimes."

"And there weren't that many, not like I let him think. Men, I mean."

"I didn't think there were." Freya put her arm around Kaylee's shoulder. "_Mei-mei_, from what I've heard tell, you faced down Reavers. Took some out, too. Any girl …" She paused and corrected herself. "Any woman who can do that can do this."

"Sometimes I feel like that wasn't me."

"Well, this is." Freya gave her a small push in the small of her back. "Gotta be done."

"Oh, I know that, and I'm trying to think of Simon, and Bethany. But all I keep seeing is Dray's face that day."

"Then finish it now. Or go and say you'll marry Simon and forget all this."

"I can't do that."

"So …"

"Got no choice, no." Kaylee shook herself and stood straighter, marching the last few paces to the front door, knocking loudly before her resolve weakened.


	6. Chapter 6

Kaylee's knock echoed through the house, and from inside she could hear a dog barking, and a man shouting at it to be quiet. A woman's voice joined in, and suddenly the door opened. A man stood there, dressed only in his pants and a vest.

"Kaywinnet Lee Frye?" he said, a smile appearing on his face. "Is that you?"

"That it is, Mr Buchanan," Kaylee said, trying to look cheerful.

"How are you doing, girl? Heard tell you were coming home for a visit."

"Frank, put a shirt on!" came the woman's voice from inside.

"It's only Kaylee," he called. "You remember?"

He was joined by a woman in a floral dress, wiping her hands on a cloth. "Kaylee? My, it's good to see you again!" She leaned over and planted a kiss on the young mechanic's cheek.

"You too, Mrs Buchanan."

"So you planning on staying a while?"

"Only a day or two." Kaylee licked suddenly dry lips. "I was wondering, is Dray around?"

"No, dear," Frank Buchanan said. "He moved out coupla years ago. Got himself a job in one of the factories other side of town, and decided it was too far to travel every day. Rents a small place, just a coupla rooms in a house, but he seems happy enough."

"Oh. He … he didn't marry then?"

"No, that he didn't," Mrs Buchanan said. "And there's Frank and me wanting grandkids."

"Hush, Lilian. You know he ain't never shown any interest in providing any."

Lilian Buchanan sighed. "You should have stayed around, Kaylee. Maybe you and he could have made a go of it."

"I had to leave," Kaylee said. "Got a job, and -"

"Course she did, Lily." Mr Buchanan scolded his wife lightly. "Hell, if I'd go the offer of a job to go somewhere else when I was Kaylee's age, you wouldn't'a seen my ass for dust."

"Frank!"

He grinned, then looked back at Kaylee. "I reckon he'd like to see you, though. Want me to call him for you? I'm sure he'd come by." He hooked his arm around his wife's waist. "Be a good excuse to make him drop in and see us too."

"Um …" Kaylee glanced back at Freya, who nodded firmly. "Yes, please, if you would."

"He knows you're here, of course. I mentioned it in passing when I last spoke to him, few days ago, and he seemed surprised."

"Well, we didn't exactly keep in touch."

"No." Frank looked at her kindly. "Guess you were too all-fire busy out there in the black."

"We … yeah, it can be."

"Well, I'll wave him tonight, so you come back for some food tomorrow, about noon. I'm sure he'll be here."

Kaylee smiled, a little unsteadily. "Thanks. That'd be shiny. I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow." Frank grinned. "I have to say, he doesn't know what he let go."

"Frank!" his wife rebuked, pulling him back inside and closing the door.

Kaylee stood in the dark until Freya came up behind her. "Come on, time to get you home. I think you need a drink."

The young woman sighed. "I wish it were all over."

"A couple of drinks, then." She took her arm and pulled her gently along. "Come on."

-x-

"You knew him," Hank said, walking next to Zoe but glancing back all the time.

"Who?"

"That man. In the restaurant. The boss."

"What gives you that idea?"

Hank grabbed her arm, pulling her around to face him. "Oh, pretty much the look he gave you. You knew him."

"Perhaps I did." She glanced at his hand, but he didn't remove it.

"He was wearing a coat like Mal's," Hank insisted. "Was he an Independent?"

Zoe sighed. "Yeah, he was. His name's Davey MacAlister. He was Freya's sergeant."

"Freya's …"

"Do not mention it to Mal," Zoe warned.

"What, that we saw MacAlister or that I know she outranked him?"

"That we saw him." Zoe moved closer, so close Hank could feel her breath on his cheek. "Mal had respect for that man, and to find out he's just a common thief …"

"What kind are we, then?" Hank countered. "Uncommon? Special? 'Cause sometimes I find it hard to tell."

"Hank, just don't."

"No, I mean it. What do you think we are? Some kind of soldiers in a holy crusade? Fighting the Alliance at every turn?" He stepped back. "Zoe, let's face it, we're crooks. If there were justice in the 'verse we'd be in jail. And just because MacAlister robs people close to, doesn't mean he's any different to us just because we pull off the odd bank vault job. We're all still crooks."

"It's different."

"How?"

Zoe glared at him and walked away. "It just is."

"Because you say so doesn't make it so."

She span on her heel. "The difference is that Mal would rather not, that when he steals it takes something away from him. MacAlister tonight? If it had been one of the other diners who was fussing, and not me, I don't know that he'd've stopped his man from shooting."

Hank was taken aback by her vehemence. "You think?"

"I don't know. And that's the point."

"Mal's killed."

"To save himself, or us. Not just for the pleasure of it."

"And you think MacAlister might be like that?"

"The look in his eyes, that banter of his … I can't help feeling it was hiding something."

"And you've got a lot of experience of that."

"Yes, yes I have."

He nodded slowly. "I guess you do at that."

"Does this put you off me?" Zoe asked, her voice softening a little.

"No. Just makes you more interesting. More faceted. A lot more layers to get to know."

Zoe put her hand on his arm. "Hank, even Wash didn't get to know all the layers of me."

"But I plan on being around long enough to at least get close to your soft centre."

"You think I have one?"

"Zoe, honey, on tonight's showing, I think it's pure marshmallow."

"And you can keep that to yourself as well."

"Of course, dear." His stomach grumbled. "You know, I'm starving. We never did get to order anything."

Zoe smiled. "There's a fast food place just around the corner. I noticed it as we came long before. We can go there. But we'll go halves."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Hank grinned.

-x-

As Kaylee entered the house, her father stepped up and took her arm. "There you are," he said, smiling. "We've been wondering where you'd gotten to. Your captain was just about to send out a search party. There's an old friend been waiting to see you." He stepped to one side.

"Hi, Kaylee," said Dray Buchanan, standing up from the chair. The young woman stared at him, her mouth open slightly. He was taller than she remembered, a few more lines on his face and perhaps the trace of his hairline moving back, but he was still Dray. Still handsome. Still muscular. And still coming towards her. He put his arms around her and kissed her soundly. "I've missed you."

"Dray …" Kaylee managed to say. "It's … it's good to see you too."

"My Pa told me you were coming to town, so I had to see you." He held her at arms length. "And it sure does my eyes good, n'all. I swear you're prettier than ever."

"Th … thanks."

"So, when're we getting married?"

There was a sudden silence in the room, broken only by the sound of Simon rising from his chair. "Excuse me?"

Dray glanced over his shoulder. "I asked this little lady to marry me before she left Phoros, and she said yes. So I've come to claim my bride." He smiled at Kaylee. "So, when's the wedding? And your friends can come back and visit often, I'm sure."

"Come back?" Kaylee shook her head. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, when you're married to me, you ain't gonna be traipsing all over the 'verse, are you? Can't do that with my kids in tow, now can you?"

Simon cleared his throat. "Excuse me," he repeated. "But she's not marrying you. She's marrying me."

"Has she said yes?"

"Well, no," Simon admitted. "But she's the mother of my baby." He nodded over to where River had the sleeping Bethany on her lap. "So I think I have a better claim."

Dray looked sharply at Kaylee. "Is that true? You got yourself another man and you didn't tell me?"

"Dray, I …"

"Don't make no never mind," Dray said, shaking his head. "Kaylee said yes to me first."

"I don't think so." Simon glared at the other man, moving closer.

Dray closed the gap until they were face to face. "Well, I do." His fists clenched.

Mal moved quickly between them, a hand on either chest. "We ain't gonna have anybody fighting in here," he said.

"Thank you, Cap'n," Kaylee said with relief.

"Best we take this outside," Mal went on, and Kaylee tensed all over again. "And we'll decide on some rules."

"Fine by me," Simon said, heading for the door.

"Shiny." Dray followed him out.

"Cap?" Kaylee said plaintively.

"Mal, what do you think you're doing?" Freya asked, grabbing his arm.

"They both lay claim to Kaylee," he said, looking deep into her eyes. "Need to get it decided." He removed her hand and walked outside.

"Pa, stop them!" Kaylee pleaded, but her father shook his head.

"Winnie, if you promised to marry Dray, then you only got yourself to blame." He patted her arm and went out after the others.

"I don't believe this," Freya said, looking around at River and Inara, at Mrs Frye and her sons. "We have to stop this." She hurried out, Kaylee at her heels, the others close.

Outside Simon and Dray had divested themselves of their jackets, and were listening to Mal.

"I ain't gonna say this has to be a clean fight, 'cause I know the doc here don't know how, and you don't look like the kinda man who'd be downright dirty. So try not to gouge, or hit below the belt if you can. And if one of you wants to retire, just yell out and we'll stop it. But basically it'll be last man standing gets Kaylee."

"Mal, no!" Freya strode over. "This is not gonna happen!"

"Sure it is," Mal said. "Only way to get this sorted out."

"Kaylee is not a piece of meat!"

"Then she should have said something before." Mal smiled slightly. "'Sides, could be fun to see the doc messed up somewhat." He pushed her back.

"Mal!"

He grinned wider and turned back to the men standing in the middle of the street. "Are you ready, gentlemen?" he asked.

"Ready," Simon said, lifting his hands into the classic boxer's pose.

"Yeah," Dray seconded, his hands looser, held in front of him.

"Stop this!" Kaylee shouted, running between them. "This is crazy!"

"Sweetheart, get out of the way," Simon said firmly. "I'm fighting for your honour here."

"More'n she ever did," Dray muttered.

Simon's eyes narrowed and he stepped nimbly round Kaylee. With a speed that shocked nearly everyone watching he punched the other man on the jaw, laying him flat on his back.

"Stop it!" Kaylee shouted again. "Enough!"

"Would you rather they used guns?" Mal asked, leaning on the verandah rail. "Or swords. Perhaps Inara could rustle us up some?"

"No, I couldn't," the Companion said coldly.

"I don't want them to fight at all!" Kaylee wailed.

"Then why'd you leave it so long?" Mal asked, pushing off and stepping closer to her. "Why didn't you wave Dray here and tell him you weren't gonna marry him after all?"

Freya's eyes narrowed, and she began to step forward, but River held her back. "Wait," the young girl murmured.

"I don't know!" Kaylee admitted.

"Do you want to marry him?"

"No, I want to marry Simon!"

"Then why'd you say yes to me?" Dray asked from where he lay on the ground, nursing his jaw.

"Because you wanted me to! Because I wanted you to be happy! That's all I ever wanted, everyone to be happy!"

"But you never intended to keep that promise? That's why you made me swear not to tell anyone?" He climbed slowly to his feet.

Suddenly Kaylee burst into tears and ran inside the house, slamming the door after her.

Freya glared at the three of them. "You … _liou coe shway duh biao-tze huh hoe-tze duh ur-tze_. All of you." She hurried inside.

Kaylee was sitting in the armchair, sobbing. "I'm sorry," she managed to say. "I wish … I've been so mean to everyone."

"No, Kaylee," Freya said, gathering the young woman into her arms and rocking her gently. "No-one deserves this."

"I do."

"No, you don't." Simon stood in the doorway. "Kaylee, I'm sorry. It wasn't meant to go like this."

"Meant to …" Freya held her breath. "This was a game? Some kind of set-up?"

"It wasn't a …" Simon knelt in front of the chair, putting his hands on Kaylee's thighs. "Dray came by just after you went to see Freya. He told us what he'd asked you. What you'd said. And … it was a shock."

Freya glanced up to see the others filing back into the house, Dray at the front. "So what, this was to get back at Kaylee?"

"No!" Simon insisted. "But it hurt, that she hadn't told me. That this was the reason she wouldn't say yes to me."

"So whose idea was it?" Freya looked from the young doctor to the group standing quietly behind, then her eyes settled on Mal. On the slightly hunted look on his face. "I don't believe it," she whispered.

"It was only meant to show how these things can get out of hand," Mal said quickly.

"And it wasn't Mal's fault," Simon added. "It was mine. He suggested it as a joke, and I said yes. I'm sorry."

Kaylee looked up at him, her cheeks wet. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

"Nor me."

"Why didn't you tell us?" her father asked.

"It was a secret," River put in unexpectedly, holding Bethany. "No-one knew because Kaylee promised, so I couldn't say anything."

"You knew?" Kaylee gave her a look.

"You promised not to tell so I couldn't."

"Why didn't you tell _me_?" Simon asked, his voice so quiet it seemed almost a whisper.

"I thought I could ignore it, 'cos it seemed … like it wasn't real. Then when we had Bethany, and you were asking me to marry you, I realised I couldn't say yes until I … I had to do it properly."

"Too honourable," River murmured.

Simon sighed. "I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less from you." He half-smiled. "I guess we've both got secrets, things we haven't told each other. It would take too long to go over every detail of our lives before we met. And this was a long time ago."

"Like Sophie," River said, nodding intently.

"Who's Sophie?" Kaylee asked, looking from one to the other of them.

"We were … going out," Simon said, shooting a glare at his sister.

"More than that. You bought a ring."

Kaylee's jaw dropped. "You asked her to marry you?"

"No!" Simon said loudly. "We were close, yes. I was an intern, working hard, but I thought I loved her." He saw Kaylee's head come up a little. "At the time, Kaylee, at the time. But I realised it wasn't right, that she wasn't the one I wanted to spend my life with. Not like you."

"Why? Why was she wrong?"

"She …" He shook his head. "She was always holding back, never giving all of herself. I felt it was wrong."

"So you think I might be the same? Never giving myself?" Kaylee, feeling guilty herself, was winding up to explode. "That I might be waiting to trap you into marriage? Just to give my daughter a father?" She ignored Simon's attempts to interrupt. "Well, let me tell you, Simon Tam -"

"Kaylee." Freya said the one word, loudly enough to cut across her, and Kaylee stopped, suddenly ashamed of herself.

"See?" said Hank from the doorway. "You don't even have to be married to have rows."

"No, dear," Zoe agreed. "It seems you're right."

"What've we missed?" Hank asked Inara, but she shushed him to silence.

Dray stepped forward. "Kaylee, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have let this happen. And it was just as much my fault as yours. I knew you didn't really want to marry me, even when I asked, not when you told me not to be faithful. If I thought you meant it, I figured you'd have had my balls on a plate if I'd even looked at another woman."

"But your dad said …" She wiped her nose on the back of her hand until Simon pulled his hankie out of his pocket for her. She sniffed and went on, "Your dad said you hadn't gotten married."

"So you thought I was pining for you?" Dray smiled, shaking his head. "Oh, Kay. I ain't got married because I'm having too much fun. There're a lot of women out there, and I ain't ready to settle down yet, no matter what my Ma wants."

"You could have waved me."

"Yeah, I could. But I was pissed that you didn't tell me, didn't write." Dray looked at her. "I reckon we're even."

"What if I'd said yes? I mean, if I'd come back and said I was ready to marry you?" Kaylee asked, drying her face.

"Then I'd'a thought I was the luckiest man in the 'verse and taken you gladly before the preacher. But we both knew that weren't gonna happen." Dray glanced at Simon. "So I reckon I'm looking at the luckiest man instead."

"I don't know," Simon said slowly. "After this, I don't know if Kaylee wants to marry me." He turned back on his heels and put one knee down. "Will you, Kaylee? Will you marry me?"

"I thought you wouldn't want me, not now."

Simon smiled. "I don't care what you do. Or say. If I have to fight every man on this damn planet, and the next, and the next … I want you to be my wife." He put his hand towards his pocket, then realised he hadn't got his jacket on. "Mal, could you?"

Mal reached into Simon's coat and pulled out a ring. "Don't think it'd fit me," he joked, smiling. "Better try it on Kaylee's finger." He handed it across.

Simon looked back into her face. "Well? Will you?"

"That ain't the same ring you bought that Sylvie?" Kaylee asked pointedly.

"Sophie," Simon corrected. "And no. I sold that one back to the jeweller. And made a loss on it." He grinned. "I bought this one when I got Bethany's christening bracelet." He cleared his throat. "Kaywinnet Lee Frye, will you marry me?"

"We don't need to, you know," Kaylee said quietly.

"I know. Because I'm never going to leave you. But I want to marry you. Hell, ask Freya if she thinks it's a good idea."

"I don't have to," Kaylee said, a smile forming on her lips. "Simon Tam, I will marry you."

"At last," Mal said as they all watched Simon slip the ring onto Kaylee's finger. "Maybe now we can get down to some proper celebrating."

-x-

"Ain't you forgiven me?" Mal asked much later, following Freya at a safe distance back towards Serenity. Ahead of them, Simon and Kaylee were wrapped up in each other, carrying their sleeping child.

"No." Freya didn't look behind.

"We gonna fight about this?"

"Probably."

Mal glanced over his shoulder at the others. "It worked though, didn't it?"

"And if it hadn't?"

"Frey, you think I'd allow my _mei-mei_ to not get the man she wants?"

Freya stopped suddenly and he almost ran into her. "Would you have been like this with … with Alice?" she asked.

He turned her to face him. "Frey, truth is, I'd've never let our daughter outta my sight. Not 'til she was at least thirty."

"That soon."

"Okay, forty-five."

She smiled. "You'd have made a great dad," she said, unconsciously stroking her belly.

"Still plan on showing you you're right."

She leaned into him, and he put his arm around her, heading slowly back to the ship.

"So, did you have a good time?" Inara asked. "Go anywhere interesting?"

"Just to a restaurant," Hank said airily.

"And?"

"And what?" Zoe asked as they stepped up the ramp into the cargo bay.

"There must be more to it than that," Inara insisted.

"We had a good time," the first mate said.

The Companion just looked at her. It didn't matter: she'd get the details later.

"Are they okay?" Hank asked, watching Mal and Freya heading up towards their bunk, his arm around her, her head on his shoulder.

Zoe misunderstood. "They'll be fine," she said, looking at Simon and Kaylee as they took Bethany towards their quarters. "I reckon they've got some talking to get done before they go to sleep, but they're engaged now. That's gonna kinda make all the difference."

Hank glanced at her, and realised. "No, I meant the Cap and Freya."

River, standing next to Inara, said, "It's nine months."

The Companion looked down at her. "You mean -"

"She would be giving birth, according to Simon's calculations," she confirmed.

"Oh, no."

"I never …" Zoe shook her head. "It hadn't occurred to me."

"Nor me," Inara said.

"I don't think any of us realised," Hank added.

"Mal didn't," River said, reaching into the pocket of her dress and taking out a folded sheet. She handed it to Inara.

"What's this, sweetie?"

"Something I drew a few days ago."

Inara opened it, looking down onto the delicate features of a child, softly coloured, aged about six, laughing as if she'd just been told the best joke in the 'verse.

"Is that …"

The young psychic nodded. "Alice."

Inara handed it to Zoe so she could see. The girl in the picture had long brown hair, curling gently, and wide blue eyes.

"Would she have looked like that?" Hank asked, looking over the first mate's shoulder.

River shrugged. "One of many possibles, but … I think so."

"You can't give this to Freya," Zoe said firmly.

"I wasn't going to. It would hurt too much. But one day she will ask." River took it back and refolded it, slipping it into her pocket once more.

"Are they ever gonna have kids?"

"My brother isn't right all the time," River said.

"Is that a yes?" Inara asked.

"There are so many variables with any conception … time, place … even mood. But I don't think the Captain will leave it at that." River smiled suddenly. "Not too long."

Inara put her arm around the girl's shoulder and squeezed. "I hope you're right. They'd make good parents."

"They've had the practice," Hank agreed. "And here comes their eldest now." He nodded out into the darkness as Jayne rolled up.

"Where have you been?" Zoe asked, putting her 'in charge because Mal ain't here' face on. "We were looking for you."

Jayne grinned, slightly the worse the wear for alcohol. "Been looking around. Seeing what there is to see." His grin grew wider as he passed by them on his way towards his bunk. "And you can tell Kaylee she's wrong." He laughed wickedly and headed up the stairs.


End file.
